Cupid Committee: Shaking Things Up
by darkuswarrior
Summary: Three girls arrive in the middle of Wardington and make it happen with their knack for fun and games. DanxRuno. Rated K  for language and mild flirting. Formerly "River of Crying Flowers" and "Dancing, Drinks and Decorations". My first fanfic. Please R&R.
1. Subtle Trouble

**(Just for the record, I'll be referring to myself as either Ankoku or Mayonaka because Ankoku means darkness and Mayonaka means midnight. I looked it up, and I'm not kidding.)**

**Ankoku: Well, here's my third try on trying not to delete a story...**

**Dan: A one-shot isn't a story. *Ankoku opens her mouth to argue* And don't bother picking on the technicality of my statement.**

**Ankoku: Since when did you care about that stuff?**

**Dan: Hey, I'm 17! It's not like I'm still 12 and the longest word in my limited vocabulary is "awesome".**

***Ankoku raises an eyebrow* Are you showing off?**

***Marucho steps into the room and sees the two before slowly backing out again* I wasn't here...**

**Dan: Hey, Marucho! Is technicality a word?**

***Marucho keeps backing up* ...I'd rather do the disclaimer than answer that.**

**Ankoku: Disclaimers aren't that bad.**

**Dan: That's the point, Marucho, isn't it?**

**Marucho: …Yes, it is. Both questions.**

**Ankoku: Would you mind doing the disclaimer and reminding Dan that he's only 12?**

**Marucho: Ankoku does not own Bakugan Battle Brawlers. However, three of the four characters in this chapter are hers. And Dan, you're only 12.**

**Dan: One, that was long. Two, that's not fair! *Marucho and Ankoku look at each other and try not to laugh* Three, who's the fourth character? *Marucho crosses his arms* And four, can we start the story already?**

**Ankoku: Fine, but only after—**

**Dan: No flames, please read and review, and don't forget that this is darkuswarrior's first story.**

***Ankoku blinks, surprised* Thank you. And so the story begins. Dan, just for the record, this is not a one-shot. I haven't done any yet.**

***Dan opens his mouth but Marucho dashes into the room and drags Dan out with surprising speed as Ankoku looks at him gratefully***

**Ankoku: Wonderful.**

**Anrui Rikaku's POV**

I walked along the narrow path into the middle of the park. A single great oak stood in the middle of a large field of grass. A row of small bushes stood guard opposite a bench that was below the tree. In the distance, sunshine fell onto a group of children playing soccer. A gentle wind blew away the leaves of brown and gold as I sat down on the bench and turned around to watch the soccer game.

After a while, I turned back around to outline the detail of the bushes in my mind. Out of the corner of my left eye, I saw two figures in the distance.

I checked my watch as my friends Marissa Gyounen and Sakura Youki sat down on the bench. "For a moment I thought you two wouldn't come," I told them.

"Well, considering that Sakura was in the middle of writing her newest fanfiction—"

"And that I was really getting somewhere with Naruto and Hinata—"

"I thought we wouldn't be coming either," Marissa completed. Sakura pulled out her iPhone, and Marissa and I gathered around it. She opened up her Pocket Fiction app and skimmed through her first chapter before switching to her Notes app and beginning to type furiously. Did I mention that Sakura is _obsessed _with fanfiction?

"What is it? Ouran again?" The title was Nuturing Love. Well, that's Sakura for you—stories of complete and utter fluff.

"Nope. Cardcaptor Sakura." She was still typing.

"You're kidding." I looked to Marissa, who shrugged and mouthed, _Because they're both named Sakura._

_ And the fluff, right? _I mouthed back.

She nodded. _That's it. _"Hey, Sakura?"

Sakura looked up at her. Just so you know, Sakura and Marissa are best friends. I'm just the odd one out, although I do share their love of fanfiction, fluff, and ferris wheels.

"I thought you said you were getting somewhere with Naruto and Hinata. Where did the Cardcaptor Sakura fanfiction come from?"

"I can write two fanfictions at once, you know." Sakura paused before resuming her typing.

I laughed. "Sake, you're too much of a spaz to do that."

She looked up at me and rolled her eyes. "True, Ari, but they're both fluff fanfics. I can write two of _those _at once."

I glanced at Marissa and burst out laughing. She was holding Sakura's iPhone in one hand and seemed to be trying to stuff it in her shirt sleeve. Sakura tilted her head and started laughing so hard that she looked like she was going to fall off the bench.

"Oh, thanks," Marissa said sarcastically. She glared at me, but it quickly dissolved as she began to laugh as well.

Sakura nearly fell off the bench laughing at me. Marissa grabbed her by the shoulder, dropping the iPhone onto her head in the process. Sakura slipped the phone back into her sweater pocket, and all of us finally regained our composure.

"Try not to fall off," Marissa chided, trying not to laugh. We all have a tendency to "get drunk" on laughing, and it goes up to the point where we can't stop until our sides hurt and we're all out of breath.

"Oh, chill out, Maris, it's not like I'm gonna die from falling of a bench," Sakura gasped. She shivered in the cold night air and said, "I'm going home now."

"To finish the chapter," I guessed.

"What else?" Marissa rolled her eyes playfully before adding, "Come on, you don't want to miss dinner. And you know that sleepovers at Sakura's place are always fun."

I smiled. Sakura's mother was brilliant when it came to cooking. Marissa always brought cookies, too, and I would bring a pack of Sprite cans.

"I haven't gotten the Sprite yet," I told her. "You go on ahead. I'll meet you later—I still have to drop my stuff off."

She nodded and followed Sakura out of the park. I started down the path in the opposite direction, but stopped.

Something was here. Something, someone... I wasn't sure. I shook my head and walked out of the park to get the Sprite.

_**Later that night...**_

The one thing that was never fun about sleepovers at Sakura's place was that I could never sleep. I slowly got out of my sleeping bag and tiptoed over Sakura and Marissa to my bag, which was in the corner of the room. I unzipped it and quietly took out my iPod Touch and headphones. Heading back over to my sleeping bag, I plugged in the headphones and turned it on. Turning on Avril Lavigne's "Anything But Ordinary", I let the song soothe my troubled mind.

I loved the song. I felt content listening to something that described me so accurately.

_Sometimes I get so weird_

_ I even freak myself out_

_ I laugh myself to sleep_

_ It's my lullaby..._

I smiled. That was more Sakura than anyone else. On numerous occasions I would wake up to find Sakura on her laptop, giggling about Ouran.

_Sometimes I drive so fast_

_ Just to feel danger_

_ I want to scream_

_ It makes me feel alive..._

That was me, all right. Always the tomboy, the impulsive Aries, the fierce fighter and voice of our group. I liked the idea of taking risks and being on danger's doorstep.

_ Is it enough to love?_

_ Is it enough to breathe?_

_ Somebody rip my heart out_

_ And leave me here to bleed_

_ Is it enough to die?_

_ Somebody save my life_

_ I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please_

_ To walk within the lines_

_ Would make my life so boring_

_ I want to know that I have been_

_ To the extreme_

_ So knock me off my feet_

_ Come on now, give it to me_

_ Anything to make me feel alive..._

I was half-asleep at this point, and the song died down. _Darn, my iPod's out of battery, _I thought as my vision faded into darkness.

I couldn't sleep, which was strange. But considering the fact that I'd had 3 Sprite cans and had listened to Avril Lavigne's "Bad Reputation" on Anrui's iPod Touch, it made some sense. I sat up in my sleeping bag and looked left to see Anrui asleep with her iPod Touch in her hand, which was strange. Then again, she was strange. "Bad Reputation" really fit her personality.

I took the iPod gently out of her hands and saw that she'd put on "Anything But Ordinary" on. I unplugged the headphones and quickly paused the song before turning the iPod off.

That was the easy part. Taking out the headphones was a different story altogether. I unhooked the earpieces and slowly extracted the wire from her hand. Crawling over Marissa, who stirred gently, I slid the iPod Touch back into Anrui's bag.

Then I could have sworn I'd heard voices talking about me. _Look at them. They sleep strangely._

I looked up, but only saw two birds in front of the open window. _Let's go. _The two birds flew away.

I stared at the spot where they were. Either I'd heard two birds talking, or the birds were actually secret cameras that people were using to spy on me. Marissa would probably say that I'd been watching too much Cardcaptor Sakura lately.

That was probably it. I crawled back over Marissa, who sleeps like a brick wall, and settled back into my sleeping bag.

I woke up in the middle of a misty field. No, _woke up _was the wrong phrase. I was having a dreamless night when a misty field burst into my mind.

My dream-self was wearing what I'd been wearing when I had gone to the park—a beige long-sleeved shirt and jeans. I shivered as a wind blew the mist away, revealing a single great oak.

There was a shadow beyond the oak, and someone stepped out of that shadow. He had his back turned to me, but I could see his stickup blond hair, purple pants and—

Wait. Purple pants? I bit my lip to try not to laugh, but it exploded anyway.

Instinctively, I knew something was wrong with laughing, but I couldn't stop. So I lost myself in laughter as he turned around.

Two glass triangles covered his eyes, and as I saw them, I got a rare case of what Sakura and Anrui call "goosebump laughing." It's that laugh where you know you shouldn't laugh but you are anyway, and you get hiccups in the middle, and it ends with that little sigh when you know that you're in trouble for laughing at the wrong time.

So my dream-self was laughing and pointing at his pants, and my real-mind-self was telling my dream-self not to laugh. And then I could feel the glare emanating from his eyes. I couldn't tell if it was a glare of fire or ice, but either way, it sent shivers down my spine.

I gulped my laughter down, and he spoke.

_I will be back for you, child._

Then the scene dissolved, and I opened my eyes, blinking in the bright sunshine.

**(First things first, I absolutely adore all of Avril Lavigne's songs. Second, I'd like to thank my friends Sayshi and mindreadingweirdo for giving me the names for their OCs. Sayshi=Sakura and mindreadingweirdo=Marissa. As far as I'm concerned, Sayshi doesn't like Cardcaptor Sakura or Naruto, but since there are characters named Sakura in both animes, I decided to make that part of Sakura's obsession. And lastly, thanks to Marucho, who helped me begin.)**

**Ankoku: Yay! I actually like the first chapter!**

**Dan: I don't. Sakura's just weird.**

**Ankoku: Sakura's my friend's OC!**

**Dan: Your friend is weird...**

**Ankoku: Yes, she is.**

**Dan: And Masquerade's pants aren't funny.**

**Ankoku: Yes, they are.**

***Marucho comes in.* Having any trouble, Ankoku?**

**Dan: Tell her that Masquerade's pants aren't funny.**

**Marucho: …That's an opinion. I can't confirm opinions, only facts.**

**Dan: ARE THEY FUNNY OR NOT?**

**Marucho: Please read and review! No flames, as this is Ankoku's first chapter of her first real story, and remember to credit Sayshi and mindreadingweirdo for their characters.**

**Ankoku: See, Dan, at least Marucho calls me Ankoku.**

**Dan: Marucho...**

**Marucho: Do you really want the truth?**

**Dan: Are they funny? They're not, right?**

**Marucho: Well, in that context, they _are_ considered something to laugh about.**

**Dan: MARUCHO!**

_What's going on with Marissa and Masquerade? Can Anrui handle not being ordinary? Will Sakura be able to contain herself? And will Dan win, or Marucho? Find out in the next chapter._


	2. We're Screwed

**Ankoku: Here goes Chapter 2.**

**Dan: Am I in this chapter?**

**Ankoku: Nope. *Dan opens his mouth to complain* Don't complain or I'll smash your face.**

**Dan: You? I doubt that.**

**Ankoku: If you don't believe me, you'll believe it when I call Runo.**

**Dan: Don't you dare!**

***Marucho enters the room* What's going on now? I heard something about Runo and figured—  
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**Ankoku: You figured right. Do you think I can smash Dan's face?**

***Marucho's eyes narrow* Why?**

**Ankoku: Because I said I'd smash his face if he complained about not being in the chapter.**

**Dan: Well, why is it always—**

**Ankoku: I'll call Runo if you spill that too. And he's not.**

**Marucho: If I'm correct, Dan, you will be in the next chapter. *adjusts his glasses and leaves the room***

**Dan: Really?**

**Ankoku: If you don't behave, you won't be.**

**Dan: Ankoku does not own Bakugan Battle Brawlers or any of its characters. If she did... well, let's say it wouldn't be fun.**

**Ankoku: You got that right.**

***Marucho comes back* I'm in the next chapter too, right?**

**Ankoku: All the Brawlers except Runo and Alice.**

***Marucho and Dan sweatdrop* Dan: Of all the girls you could pick, it _had _to be Julie.**

**Marucho: Oh, I see... Julie and Sakura...**

**Ankoku: Glad you do. Stop spoiling the story. Here's Chapter 2.**

**Marissa's POV**

It was a typical Saturday morning. That is, if you could call Sakura on a sugar high typical. It was, actually. We always went to Starbucks for a light breakfast. Then again, it isn't exactly considered "light" if Anrui was stuffing her face with Mallorca sweet bread and a McSkillet that she had picked up from McDonalds.

_ "Everything in our lives has been leading up to this moment," I proclaimed dramatically. Anrui rolled her eyes in response and stretched one leg out. "Are we racing or what?" she asked impatiently._

_ "Hell yes!" Sakura shouted. She was jumping up and down in anticipation._

_ I sighed. "What the fuck were you thinking when you decided to head to Starbuck's three years ago?"_

_ Anrui shrugged and stretched her other leg. "I don't know, maybe after that Friday rush for a mocha frappuchino before Math, I had to do it again."_

_ "Let's go!" Sakura shouted, already racing ahead. Anrui glanced at me before sprinting off and jumping over one of the bushes in Sakura's mother's garden._

_ "Oh, hell no! That is so unfair!" I took off at a fast run, my shoes hitting the pavement rhythmically. Sakura was already slowing down at the corner of the next block, so I caught up with her easily and we jogged together._

_ "Sometimes I wonder why I decided to do this again in the first place," Sakura told me. "Especially with that shortcut Anrui found last week. She's probably at Starbucks already."_

In fact, she had been. She was standing outside with her tall mocha frappuchino and her bread in one hand, the other holding the McSkillet. "Geez, Ari, you really shouldn't run like that," Sakura kept saying as she shook her head.

The three of us were now headed to Anrui's house for some hardcore Rock Band. As usual, Anrui was planning on playing both the vocals and the guitar. Sakura preferred the drums, which left me (once again) with the bass guitar. Not like it mattered—I knew from experience that it was always easier to be in the background.

So we were off to Anrui's house, going through the park like we always did, when I heard footsteps. The strange thing about them was that they were softer, almost inaudible.

I could tell Anrui had heard it too. She walked ahead, her eyes searching the trees I was tempted to ask why she was looking above, but decided that I should just keep an eye out myself. I didn't want Anrui getting hurt, even if she was the one who was most capable of protecting herself.

"What is with you guys?" Sakura asked as we entered a shortcut that Anrui had found. "You two need to lighten up."

But even she, the one who almost always had a carefree smile on her face, was looking around. I had no idea what _she _was worried about, but the firm footsteps behind us reminded me of last night's dream. I shuddered, then reminded myself that it was just a dream. Besides, Anrui's fanfiction last night must have gotten through to me. Yeah, that was probably it.

Boy, was I wrong.

Anrui stopped. I stopped too, sure now that something was wrong. My fears were confirmed when she began walking more quickly. Sakura and I had to run to keep up (more like I was dragging her), and I could make out more footsteps joining the first.

She stopped again, and I think that was when Sakura fully realized what was going on. A twig snapped, and we all took off at breakneck speed, the sounds of many footsteps giving chase.

**Anrui's POV**

My mind was racing, my heart was pounding, and I felt absolutely exhausted despite the fact that I had woken up less than an hour before. I could hear the footsteps of about 6 of 7 people. Who would want us that badly?

Behind us, the chasers showed no signs of stopping. I was aware of Sakura and Marissa slowing down, so I grabbed their wrists and dashed onward.

_Almost there..._

At last we reached a clearing in the depths of the park. A ring of trees hid the sky from view. We backed up slowly, expecting someone to find us. But the footsteps faded, and Marissa sighed in relief.

"Hey, what's this?" Sakura asked. I dared not turn around for fear that they would come back for us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marissa turn around and gasp.

I was itching to turn around myself, but I waited tensely for Marissa's next reaction.

She turned to me. "Look at this." Then she turned back around and her eyes widened. "Sake, don't do that!"

"Do what?" came the reply. "It's not like it's a vacuum cleaner that's going to suck us up or something."

Marissa folded her arms. "And how would you know that's not what it is?"

"That's not what what is?" I still hadn't turned around, but I'd relaxed slightly. "Just describe it to me," I added quickly, tensing again at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. I couldn't take them all on, but I figured I wouldn't have to if I was right about what was going on behind me...

"Well, it looks sort of like that blue circle in that game on your iPod Touch," Sakura said. "You know, the one that twisted the screen."

"Oh, that one. That was—" Then I remembered what had happened next.

The footsteps were getting louder.

Then, in a spectacular display of how bad an influence fanfiction can be, I turned around and yanked Marissa and Sakura into the circle.

Next thing I knew, we were running straight off a cliff.

**Dan: That's it? So short...**

**Ankoku: Cliffhangers are so hard to hold off. Even after the coffee scene it turned out to be really short.**

**Dan: I _am_ in the next chapter, right?**

**Ankoku: Actually, no.**

**Marucho: I thought we would be...**

**Ankoku: I did too, until I realized something else I wanted to put in as another chapter. It's way too long to combine with this one.**

**Dan: What do they look like again?**

**Ankoku: Good question... that's on my profile.**

**Marucho: But—**

**Ankoku: Now, Marucho, be a good boy and don't spoil anything.**

**Dan: Right... do I win this round?**

**Marucho: Statistically, Dan, the only thing you excel at are brawls.**

**Ankoku: Maybe I should move you to a different story, Marucho. You and Ciela could have some intelligent conversations.**

**Dan: Ha! I do win!**

**Ankoku: Only because my OC is supposed to... never mind.**

**Dan: Spill!**

**Marucho: May I have one final action before I take my leave?**

**Ankoku: Of course.**

***Marucho kicks Dan in the shin and dashes off. Dan shakes his head* Well, what can I say?**

**Ankoku: It was supposed to end with him kicking you.**

**Dan: …**

**Ankoku: Forget it. Please review, and you can expect another story from me soon. And don't forget to subscribe! Bye!**


	3. A New Friend

**Ankoku: Chapter 3 should be shorter, Dan. Happy?**

**Dan: Not if I'm not in it.**

**Ankoku: You'll be in the next one.**

**Dan: You've already said that, and Marucho did too. Am I even going to be in this?**

**Ankoku: Heck yeah! This will be one long story, and this is just the third chapter.**

**Dan: Shit. You know how I am, Ankh. Not patient.**

**Ankoku: Patience is a virtue. I don't****—wait, did you give me a nickname? What the hell?**

**Dan: No, I didn't. That was Marucho's idea.**

**Ankoku: Well, **_**you**_** decided to mention it in the wrong story.**

**Dan: That's Marucho's story, though! And it's not even up yet!**

**Ankoku: Couldn't you just have waited until then?**

**Dan: What did I tell you? I'm not patient.**

**Ankoku: Whatever. I'm not either.**

**Dan: Yeah, I noticed. *sees Ankoku's glare* Okay, I'll shut up!**

**Ankoku: Damn right you should.**

**Dan: Ankh doesn't own Bakugan, or—*gulps* I don't know what would happen.**

**Ankoku: I thought I told you to shut up. Wait—did you use it again? Are you—**

***Dan shakes his head and makes random gestures with his hands. Ankoku rolls her eyes and smacks him on the head as Dan yelps in pain* Goddammit, you're worse than Runo! Back off!**

**Ankoku: You know you're not supposed to develop feelings for **_**me, **_**right?**

**Dan: I thought I was...**

**Ankoku: Not **_**me, **_**me. 'Me' me.**

**Dan: What?**

***Ankoku facepalms* Just freaking forget it, Dan.**

**Anrui's POV**

"Aaa—" (Forgive me for the incredibly pathetic screaming that was coming out of the mouths of my two friends.)

Then a hand grabbed my shirt. Panicked, I kept a firm grip on Sakura, who clutched Marissa's arm.

"What was that for?" Marissa yelped as we staggered back from the cliff's edge.

"I think I had a heart attack," Sakura gasped.

I shook my hair out of my eyes, but then realized that my hair was a dark blue. Sakura held a strand of bubblegum pink hair out of her face. "I'm spazzing out again, aren't I?"

"Nope," said Marissa. She tried to tuck some of her thick red hair behind her ear, but it slipped out again. "At least I don't need glasses."

Sakura looked at me, then at Marissa, then back at me. "Maybe we should, you know, walk around and try to see where we are."

"There might be a school," Marissa added.

"A school. You're kidding. I thought I was done with school last night." I hooked my headphones into my ears, took my iPod Touch out of my pocket, and turned on "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry. The volume was on low because I was pretty sure that they would somehow end up talking me into this, and I knew that if I turned on the music too loud, Sakura would pull out the sugar. And it's never pleasant when Sakura has had her sugar.

Marissa: "We aren't going to get anywhere."

Me: "Who said we were going anywhere?" (Note to self: That has got to be one of my best and most simple comebacks. Go figure.)

Marissa: "We're not, but we're trying to, right?"

Me: "I would have helped, but I'm not going to fry my brain more than I have to."

Marissa: "Sometimes I marvel at your extreme immaturity."

Me: "Well, isn't that why we're friends?"

Marissa: "No, that's why you and _Sake _are friends."

Me: "You do realize I'm just stalling, right?"

Marissa: "Yes, but you didn't have to tell me."

Me: "And you know that I'm really enjoying this pointless argument?"

Marissa: "Yep. I knew _that_ one was coming."

Sakura: "Sitcom number one!"

Marissa: "You see? This is why I'm surrounded by little kids."

Me: "Yep. Fanfiction-crazed little kids that enjoy everything that is pointless."

Sakura: "Yeah! Do I get my sugar now?"

Marissa sighed in exasperation and turned to Sakura, who started to go for her bag.

"Oh, hell no, Sake, let's not turn this into a fistfight."

"I couldn't care less." She took a sugar cube out of a container and popped it into her mouth.

I got up and ran.

**Marissa's POV**

This is wonderful. Just wonderful. The one time I let Sakura have her sugar cube, Anrui gets to run away and I'm the one left to deal with her.

Sakura turned to me with an (expected) wild look in her eyes. "Oh, hi Kyoya. Have you seen Hikaru?"

"Nope." I figured that I was better off just going along with it. Why me? _Why me?_

"How about Mori?"

"No."

"Sasuke?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Naruto?"

"Absolutely not."

"Syaoran."

I was physically exhausted. That's not a good excuse to leave an SSQ (Sugar Sake Question) open. In case it isn't apparent by now, Sakura's the crazy girl of our group. And when she gets on a sugar high, let's just say the most random things happen. There was this one sleepover when we were playing Truth or Dare, and Anrui dared her to eat a sugar cube. And then Sakura dragged me into her room and started throwing her clothes at me. Then she dragged Anrui into the room and tried to throw empty Sprite cans at her. Then she jumped up and down on her bed screaming "Hikaru! Over here!" and stuff like that for 30 minutes straight. And then... you get the idea.

That was _one _sugar cube. _One. _So now you know why it's such a bad idea to give Sakura her sugar. (She isn't really _that _crazy, but sugar gives her enough hyper energy to really get acting. This is why I claim to be surrounded by little children.) Hopefully Anrui comes back before Sakura throws herself off a cliff, which ALMOST happened once.

**Anrui's POV**

When I had pressed deep into the woods, I stopped. The leaves overhead threatened to suffocate the sunlight. I liked autumn, but spring was second best.

"Who are _you_?" I turned and nearly smacked my head on a low branch, cursing under my breath.

"Dull, aren't you," the voice concluded. "Up here." And I felt a small marble fall on my head.

"That _hurt_, you know," I said, reaching up to grab the marble that was balanced precariously on my head. As I opened my hand, the marble rolled off the front of my head and into my other hand. I stopped and stared.

It wasn't a marble. It was a Bakugan. A Darkus Bakugan.

And how would I know? They belong to the one anime I like. Long story. It's like how Sakura is a die-hard Ouran fan, but that's off topic.

So I was staring at the Bakugan and it opened up into some sort of cobra.

"You'll catch flies like that." He hopped a bit closer. "What's your name?"

"Er..." I sat down cross-legged and set the Bakugan down on the ground.

"Don't tell me that you forgot _that. _You must be dumber than I thought."

"Iruna Rika, but I go by Runai." Where did that come from? Oh yeah, my OC would always introduce herself like that in my fanfics. Never mind.

"Darkus Fearpent." The marble jumped to my knee. "Don't need a nickname there."

We sat in silence for a while.

"Maybe I should head back," I said. "Hopefully Sake hasn't polished off the rest of her sugar cubes."

I got up as Fearpent jumped down. "You are _not_ leaving without me!"

"Who said I was?" I scooped him up in one hand and placed her on my shoulder. "Just try not to talk. Marissa would freak out and I don't know _what _Sake would do to you."

**Dan: Your chapters are getting shorter.**

**Ankoku: You're welcome.**

**Dan: So are your responses.**

**Ankoku: Yeah.**

**Dan: Are you trying to make this short?**

**Ankoku: Yes.**

**Dan: What's with all the italics and dashes?**

**Ankoku: Emphasis.**

**Dan: And the swearing?**

**Ankoku: That too.**

**Dan: Do I get to talk more?**

**Ankoku: Sure. What the heck.**

**Dan: Really?**

**Ankoku: Maybe if you shut up after that.**

**Dan: Nope. You brought me here for commentary, so you had better not confine me to saying disclaimers and other crap.**

**Ankoku: Your fault. Please read and review, and sorry if the language is a bit much. Bye!**


End file.
